Living in the city always creates somewhat of a dichotomy in my life. I love the fast pace competitive atmosphere of living in the hustle and bustle. I feed off of the energy of the people, the lights, the sounds. I enjoy the fact that there is always something going on, something to do, somewhere to go. Chicago is not quite like New York. Chicago definitely sleeps. But it is a large enough city where I feel I have plenty of opportunities at my fingertips.

On the other hand, it is wearing. The city is wearing. The constant go, go, go! The never-ending supply of stimuli. These past few weeks I have wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep in the same bed that I have since I was in middle school. The sounds of waking up to my mom and dad making coffee in the kitchen. My nieces coming over to play in the backyard. The ability to sleep in until 10:00am. I needed a break. And that I got. There is nothing quite like being able to go home and hit the reset button.

Seafood is something that I have learned to enjoy more and more as I have gotten older. While I've always eaten fish, lobster, etc. (even more so than my siblings who refused to touch it as children), I've really started enjoying the flavor and nuances in recent years. Sushi? 100% yes. Lobster? Absolutely! Raw oysters? Sign me up. I can thank my parents for raising me to be adventurous in the realm of food tasting. No matter what, I will always try something at least once. Except for THIS. Seriously, I am not sure how anyone has the ability to stomach that. I am getting slightly nauseous just thinking about it.

Anywaaaays. Oysters. Let's talk oysters. No more belut. *gag*

Raw oysters is typically my go-to. Quick and easy to eat. No fuss. Delicious. Why mess with something good? I would more often than not agree with that statement, but I will never learn to experiment if I don't get out my comfort zone a little. This past weekend I decided to throw the oysters on the grill for a few minutes rather than eating them raw. They are just as delicious, just simply another way to enjoy the dish. My favorite is to add a dish of Sriracha sauce and a nice squeeze of lemon juice.

Bottoms up!

| Grilled Oysters |

Ingredients:

fresh oysters in their shells
Sriracha sauce
lemon wedges

Directions:

Heat a gas grill to medium-high heat.

Arrange 10 oysters convex side down on the grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

When the shells begin to open, use a cooking glove to steady one oyster, gently pry it open with a shucking knife, trying to keep the oyster liquor from spilling out.

Add a dash of Sriracha and a squeeze of lemon juice to the oyster. Repeat with the remaining oysters, then carefully cut the oysters from their shells, flip them over in the shells, and continue cooking for 2 to 4 minutes longer, until the flesh is firm.